- #1
sanman
- 745
- 24
There is a new theory being put forth that gravity may amplify vacuum energy to the point that the amplified vacuum energy may predominate over classical vacuum energy, which would cause it to influence astrophysical processes:
http://www.physorg.com/news193330592.html
It's just a conjecture at this point, but if true, it might give a long-sought explanation for "Dark Energy" - a theorized and hitherto unseen energy associated with space.
What practical implications would follow from this concept, if it turned out to be correct?
If virtual particles clump together more under a gravitational field, as per the conjecture, then wouldn't this mean an increase in the observed Casimir forces?
With Bose-Einstein Condensates and atom lasers, the fact of clumping up or superpositioning a bunch of atoms together into a larger superatom means that the superatom will have a much smaller debroglie wavelength.
If Planck length is associated with period of quantum fluctuations via Heisenberg's Uncertainty, then is that Planck length constant for all regions of space, such as curved space vs flat space?
How could one devise an experiment to test quantum-level differences that would occur in curved space vs flat space?
http://www.physorg.com/news193330592.html
It's just a conjecture at this point, but if true, it might give a long-sought explanation for "Dark Energy" - a theorized and hitherto unseen energy associated with space.
What practical implications would follow from this concept, if it turned out to be correct?
If virtual particles clump together more under a gravitational field, as per the conjecture, then wouldn't this mean an increase in the observed Casimir forces?
With Bose-Einstein Condensates and atom lasers, the fact of clumping up or superpositioning a bunch of atoms together into a larger superatom means that the superatom will have a much smaller debroglie wavelength.
If Planck length is associated with period of quantum fluctuations via Heisenberg's Uncertainty, then is that Planck length constant for all regions of space, such as curved space vs flat space?
How could one devise an experiment to test quantum-level differences that would occur in curved space vs flat space?